Hit or Miss - JK Rowling donates £1m to the Labour Party just before its annual conference

The nation's richest author, who wrote Harry Potter novels when she was a single mother, was reportedly furious at Tory proposals to give tax breaks to married families. The news was released by the party, while Colman Getty circulated Rowling's statement.

HOW I SEE IT - JUSTINE RAWLINS, DIRECTOR, BEATTIE COMMUNICATIONS

In terms of generating positive exposure for a political party going through turmoil, it met the brief - brand endorsement from a high profile and generally well liked famous figure. JK Rowling's donation and the rationale behind it also gave a positive spin to the blanket media coverage on the current economic situation, not to mention the added bonus of bringing some 'celebrity' glamour to an otherwise typical political event. But while the media coverage for the donation is good, what cannot be measured is public perception. Will a major cash handout from a billionaire author to a political party that needs to steer the nation through turbulent times leave a bitter taste in the mouths of people facing redundancy and repossession? - HIT.